The International Day of Peace (IDP, or Peace Day), is designated by the United Nations on September 21 as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. "Celebrate peace by standing up against acts of hate online and offline, and by spreading compassion, kindness, and hope in the face of the pandemic, and as we recover."
See photos and stories of how the global URI community celebrated the International Day of Peace this year.
Use these links to skip directly to celebrations from URI members, regional offices, and Cooperation Circles (CCs) in:
AFRICA
URI Cooperation Circle: Frontier for Peace and Advocate Foundation Nigeria
Location: Nigeria
Frontier for Peace and Advocate Foundation CC celebrated IDP with a community town hall meeting involving traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth, and security agencies. The event emphasized the importance of peace as the foundation for a better future, fostering dialogue and collaboration within the community.
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URI Cooperation Circle: Interreligious Council of Burundi
Location: Burundi
The Interreligious Council of Burundi CC marked IDP by organizing a press conference and launching a peace week. The event included radio and TV broadcasts, social media messages, and five gatherings across the country on September 21st. The celebrations featured community work and a high-level reflection meeting for leaders, aiming to instill peace in the hearts of Burundians as the country approaches elections.
ASIA
URI Cooperation Circle: URI-UN and Voices for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons
Location: Japan
Members of URI-UN CC and Voices for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons CC celebrated IDP at the Hiroshima Dome. The group participated in prayers and a World Peace Flag Ceremony, where each country’s flag received prayers for peace. The event included the recitation of The Nuclear Prayer by Bishop Swing and was attended by over 150 participants, both in person and via Zoom.
EUROPE
URI Cooperation Circle: Bridges CC
Location: Europe
On September 21, BRIDGES CC celebrated The International Day of Peace with a one-day training, in which students and teachers from"St. Kliment Ohridski" school in Plovdiv took an active part. The initiative was implemented with the financial support of the Olga Lengyel Institute (TOLI) TOLI - The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights.
With a group of 40 children (16-17 years old) from the 10th, 11th and 12th grades (from different religious backgrounds), accompanied by their teachers Mrs. Maria Konstantinova, Mrs. Nikolinka Abrasheva and Mrs. Yulia Kireva, we visited the Bachkovo Monastery "Assumption" and the Synagogue "Zion".
Petar Gramatikov, member of the Board of BRIDGES, chief expert on religious issues for the Plovdiv Municipality, and former URI Europe Global trustee, introduced the young people to the structure of the Orthodox Church in a fascinating and vivid way, drew attention to the contribution of the Bulgarian hierarchs and the entire Bulgarian people for the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews. We bowed in front of the graves of two "Righteous of the Jewish people" - hierarchs of the Bulgarian Church - Exarch Stefan and Patriarch Kirill, located in the church of the monastery. Petar Gramatikov paid special attention to the topic of the Holocaust, which was also the main focus of our training.
Bishop Sioninii, abbot of the Bachkovo monastery, despite not being able to meet us in person due to a commitment in the Troyan monastery, welcomed us as special guests and allowed us to enter and look at the old refectory, covered with frescoes from the beginning of the 17th century. And to make us feel at home, he had prepared a welcome treat for us in the new dining room of the monastery.
We then headed back to Plovdiv and the Zion Jewish Synagogue, where we were received and warmly welcomed by Mr. Albert Behar.
Here, in addition to the structure of the synagogue and the peculiarities of the Jewish diaspora and holidays, we had time to pay special attention to the topic of the Holocaust.
Apart from the expert Petar Gramatikov, students also took part. The two girls, Ivayla Haikova and Lili Alexova, from the 11th grade, had prepared with great care on the topic and introduced the group to the Holocaust and the role of Bulgaria in saving the Bulgarian Jews.
We ended the day by handing out certificates for active participation in the training and mutual desire for further meetings.
Teaching tolerance and empathy is an important part of non-formal education and has been shown to improve emotional intelligence, especially in young people.
We thank the management of "St. Kliment Ohridski" school or the partnership and the teaching staff who shared this day with us.
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Bachkovo Monastery (in ancient times "Petritsonski") - Known for the combination of the traditions of the Byzantine, Georgian and Bulgarian cultures; the second largest Orthodox stauropygial monastery of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church
The "Assumption" monastery of Bachkovo was founded in 1083 by the Byzantine military commander of Georgian origin, a domestic of the Byzantine emperor Grigory Bakurian and his brother Abbasiy. The monastery is one of the most visited places in Bulgaria, an important tourist center and is included in the list of the Hundred National Treasures of Bulgaria.
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The topic of the Holocaust and the rescue of Bulgarian Jews and Gypsies After intensifying the policy against Gypsies and Jews, the German government also demanded that Bulgaria hand over its Jews and Gypsies and deport them to the "death camps". Tsar Boris III refused, thus saving the lives of around 170,000 Roma and 50,000 Jews. The Nazis themselves characterized the Bulgarians as completely misunderstanding the essence of the Jewish question, as evidenced by archival German diplomatic documents.
"No one can convince the Bulgarians to hate the Jews" - these are the words of the German ambassador Beckerle in Sofia during the last attempt of the German authorities to organize the deportation of the Bulgarian Jews to the death camps.
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URI Cooperation Circle: Dialogue and Alliance CC
Location: Europe
This year’s International Day of Peace theme is Actions for Peace: Our Ambition for the #GlobalGoals. It is a call to action that recognizes our individual and collective responsibility to foster peace. As on September 18, we celebrate also the International Forgiveness Day (https://www.journeeinternationaledupardon.org/ ), the "Dialogue & Alliance" interfaith circle held its monthly meeting on Sunday September 17, 2023, on the theme of "Cultivating forgiveness...", because forgiveness is an essential habit for any peacemaker.
The main meeting was held face-to-face at the Espace Barrault in Paris, with Zoom connections from several countries, including: Austria, Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Canada, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Italy, Lebanon, Mauritius, Senegal, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, USA, etc.
Some of the speakers and participants at Espace Barrault, Paris
To start the meeting, the moderator, Madame Soraya AYOUCH, clinical psychologist, invited us to a minute's silence in solidarity with the victims of the earthquake in Morocco and the floods in Libya.
Ms Soraya AYOUCH opens the meeting.
In her first speech, Ms Brigitte WADA, President of the Women's Federation for World Peace in France (https://wfwp-france.org/ ), presented the "Bridges of Peace" initiative. At international level, this has been a flagship project of the FFPM for nearly 30 years. The "Bridge of Peace" is a practical tool designed to facilitate the process of healing and reconciliation, and to bring together people who are enemies or who have been wounded in the depths of their souls. Committing to building a relationship with another person can enable participants to move beyond victimhood and become agents of their own personal change.
Ms WADA presented several examples of sisterhoods organized in France since 1997, often to mark a commemoration between two countries: Christian and Muslim women, France-Germany, France-Africa, France-England, France-America, France-Korea, France-Japan, France-Algeria, etc.
Ms Brigitte WADA presents the "Bridges of Peace" initiative.
The second reading brought a Muslim perspective. It was verse 22 of Sura XXIV of the Koran: The Light (Nour) and verses 87, 88 and 89 of Sura XLIII: The Ornament (Zukhruf). They were commented on by Professor Boumediene BENYAHIA, Dr. Honoris causa 'Administration de la Paix', Director of the Institut de la Parole (Kalima https://institut-kalima.com/ ) and Secretary General of the Coordination des organisations islamiques suisse (COIS).
He explained very well how, in Islam, forgiveness is built up on three major levels:
- integral" forgiveness, which is the great divine forgiveness, with a total willingness to wipe the slate clean,
- intermediate" forgiveness
- horizontal" forgiveness between human beings, before moving on to the higher levels.
"Forgiveness is a divine duty and a human duty", he concluded.
Professor Boumediene BENYAHIA comments on two passages from the Koran.
We then had a short musical break, "Pardonner" (to forgive), performed by Mr Jean-Claude GIANADDA (www.jeanclaudegianadda.net ). Specializing in religious songs, he is the author of more than 1,000 Christian songs
Mr Pascal BERNAGAUD presents, via Zoom, the Circles of Forgiveness
The last presentation was based on the "Four Toltec Agreements" and was explained, via Zoom, by Mr Pascal BERNAGAUD, facilitator of Circles of Forgiveness and member of the Association "Pardon International, API" (https://www.cerclesdepardon.fr/ ). He gave us a brief history of the Circles of Forgiveness created following Olivier CLERC's experience of meeting Don Miguel RUIZ. Forgiveness is like a "heart shower" that we administer to ourselves, and it is essential to understand that we are the actors of what we cultivate in our hearts
Questions-and-answers session at the Espace Barrault in Paris.
The meeting concluded with a questions-and-answers session moderated by Mr Laurent LADOUCE, a researcher with the Universal Peace Federation.
Mr Jean-François MOULINET closes the meeting in Paris.
Mr Jean-François MOULINET, coordinator of the Dialogue & Alliance circle, finally announced that the next meeting would take place on Sunday 22 October on the theme "Cultivating gratitude".
He also sincerely liked to thank and acknowledge the Dialogue & Alliance main partners, for their continuous support, in particular:
- the Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (AIPD- France)
- the United Religions Initiative (URI) https://www.urieurope.org/
- the Interreligious and Intercultural Alliance of Geneva (GIIA)
- and the Comité Mondial des Trois Testaments (CMTT), in Mali.
A recording of this program is available at https://youtu.be/tOQ39cppNLQ
Dialogue & Alliance CC
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URI Cooperation Circle: URI Netherlands
Location: Netherlands
URI Netherlands celebrated IDP with an online event featuring guest speaker Ram Mohan Rai, who discussed the theme “Cultivating a Culture of Peace” from a Gandhian perspective. The event explored Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence, moral and spiritual values, and conflict resolution, continuing to inspire global peace efforts. Approximately 40 participants attended the event.
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URI Cooperation Circle: Dialogue & Alliance
Location: France
Dialogue & Alliance celebrated IDP 2024 with a one-day webinar in French on the topic "The Values and Culture of Peace." The event highlighted a quote by Spinoza: "Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice." Approximately 50 participants attended in person, with more joining online.
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
URI Region: Latin America and the Caribbean
Nestor, Ruth, Isa, Vasu, Valyloret & Yelitza, all young people from the Latin American & Caribbean region, shared their messages for the International Day of Peace that we invite you to watch here
MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA
URI Cooperation Circle: Quodrat and Desert Bloom Cooperation Circle
Location: URI MENA
"Together for Peace": Commemorating the International Day of Peace
In observance of the International Day of Peace, URI MENA Office, in collaboration with Qudorat CC and Desert Bloom CC, orchestrated an engaging seminar aptly titled "Together for Peace" on September 23, 2023. The event featured enlightening discussion sessions on the following key topics:
Renouncing Violence:
Exploring avenues for peace by denouncing violence as a means of conflict resolution.
Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Approaches to Peace:
Analyzing and contrasting the effectiveness of grassroots initiatives versus top-down strategies in promoting peace.
A Holistic Approach to Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding:
Examining comprehensive methods for preventing conflicts and fostering sustainable peace.
The seminar attracted a diverse audience, including civil society activists, academics, university students, and international volunteers, all eager to engage in meaningful conversations about the pursuit of peace and conflict resolution.
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URI Cooperation Circle: Global Youth Movement and Doha Immanuel Marthoma Yuvajanasakhyam
Location: Qatar
Global Youth Movement CC and Doha Immanuel Marthoma Yuvajanasakhyam CC celebrated IDP 2024 with a heartwarming event that included a message from Jerry White, Executive Director of URI, and an address by Rev. Linvin C. Thomas. The celebration featured a youth choir performance of "Heal the World," a session on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the symbolic lighting and passing of candles to symbolize unity and peace.
MULTIREGION
Message from URI Multiregion
Let's unite, forging a path toward a brighter future.
This year’s theme for the International Day of Peace is ‘Actions for Peace: Our Ambition for the #GlobalGoals,’ serving as a resounding call to action for peace. The nurturing of peace plays an integral role in advancing the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the achievement of the SDGs paves our way to enduring peace.
Which SDGs are you actively championing? On this International Day of Peace, let us contemplate all the significant actions that we, our organizations, businesses, communities, and governments can undertake to honour the promise of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda.
Together, let’s transform every day into a day of peace.
NORTH AMERICA
URI Cooperation Circle: Tri- city Cooperation Circle
Location: North America
Walk for Peace, Pray for Peace, Act for Peace
Tri-City Interfaith Council, a Cooperation Circle of URI in North America, has organized a walk around the Peace Pole at Lake Elizabeth to celebrate the International Day of Peace.
This year, another dimension, “Act for Peace” has been added to the campaign.
This is a fundraising campaign to provide food and water, two of the SDGs. This campaign starts on 21 September and will end on 20 November 2023 with an interfaith thanksgiving service.
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URI Cooperation Circle: CC Latinoamericano de Músicos
Location: Mexico
CC Latinoamericano de Músicos celebrated IDP 2024 by exchanging knowledge through musical discourse focused on peace within the community. The event took place on September 21st with two sessions held at 10 AM and 7 PM, bringing together around 30 participants to promote harmony through the power of music.
SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
URI Cooperation Circle: Youth for Peace Cambodia
Location: Cambodia
To celebrate the International Day of Peace, Cambodia’s PPDC, in collaboration with other partner organizations, organized a cycling program under the theme "Youth's activities for Peace" on September 20, 2023 in order to understand about peace building, united religion initiative, and plant trees together.
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URI Cooperation Circle: MultiFaith Association of South Australia
Location: Southeast Asia and Pacific
FoodFaith CC celebrated IDP with an interfaith gathering in Adelaide, South Australia. The event focused on seasonal food, cultural and faith discussions, composting, and a garden tour highlighting the importance of local food cycles. The celebration fostered connections and harmony between different faiths through food customs and sustainability practices.
